Demountable brushing machine



G. M. SMITH DEMOUNTABLE BRUSHING MACHINE April 10, 1951 2 She ets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1946 3 IN VEN TOR, (ieozyeMflmilh;

ATTORNEY April 10, 1951 G. M. SMITH DEMOUNTABLE BRUSHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26, 1946 INVEN TOR,

Georyej lflmilz;

Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OF I E.

DEMOUNTABLE BRUSHING MACHINE George M. Smith, Orlando, Fla., assignor to American Machinery Corporation, Orlando, Fla., a corporation of Florida Application February 26, 1946, Serial No. 550,150

Claims. 1 This invention relates to fruit or vegetable processing machinery and more particularly to dempuntable brush supporting arrangements for brushing or bufiing equipment.

In the processing of fruit or vegetables for hipme t m rke th ri us ss n O e tions are performed by a series of machines which are arranged to pass the fruit from one machine to. the next. For instance, the fruit is initially dumped on a slat conveyor which transports it to a washing machine, usually ofthe spray pe th ce to a st rili i bath. a t r which it is transported over a drip conveyor to remove excess surface liquid, from which it passes th ou a d r, h poss ly n o a Waxing machine and thereafter a buffer for giving the surface of the fruit a high polish. Several of these machines, such as the spray type washers, the buffers and, sometimes, the driers and waxers, comprise conveyor beds formed of rotary mounted driven cylindrical brushes arranged in parallel relationship and slightly spaced apart to provide grooves or runways therebetween for holding or supporting the fruit while simultaneously scrubbing, brushing or polishing its surface. In some machines the brushes are arranged longitudinally of the direction of fruit travel so that the fruit is propelled along the grooved runways formed between the brushes, whereas, in other machines the brushes are arranged transversely of the direction of fruit travel and the fruit is moved across the brushes from groove to groove. The latter type of machine is employed herein for the purpose of illustrating the present invention, however, it is equally applicable to either type of machine, as well as to machines employing rollers instead of brushes. I

In the machines comprising brushesirequent stoppages result because of the necessity of replacing worn, damaged or inefiective brushes. The large amount of fruit conveyed on the brushes results in considerable wear, and, consequently, their normal life is rather short. Furthermore, brushes which are employed in washers are sub jected to the additional effects of the water and acids used in the washing solutions. In addition, when brushes are used in conjunction with waxing machines, even though they may be part of a separate machine, such as a polishing machine, they collect a considerable amount of wax between their bristles, even to the extent that they are completely ineffective in performing their assigned function. As it has not been possible to cure these difiiculties by improvements or variations in the machines, or 'thebrushes employed therein, the processor has been forced to shut down the machines, frequently during a rush period of operation, to replace the brushes with new or clean brushes. In the machines presently in usethe structure is such that an undue amount of time is consumed in effecting these replacee ments.

In an effort to overcome the hereinbefore stated defects of the standardapparatus, it has been proposed to provide an arrangement which permits the partial mounting, at any angle, of a brush on one of its bearing supports and then swinging thebrush down into axial position between the bearing supports, and completing the mounting byinserting the 'shafton which the brush is journaled at the other end. In this arrangement the brush core' is provided withsockets in each end, one of the sockets being square to'matewith a square end on the drive shaft. The drive shaft is retained in its bearing and its square portion terminates in a'rounded end. The brush is positioned at an angle with its square socket seated over the the drive shaft. The brush has" to be pivoted so that the socket will mate "with the squared shaft and then it may be pivoted downwardly" toan axial position between the bearing supports while, simultaneously, the brush is moved axially to'slide the socket over the mating shaft. A shaft inthe opposed bearing support'is'then moved axially into the socket in the other end'of the brush.

While this brush mounting seems relatively simple and easy in theory, it actually rather diflicult due to the fact that the square socket must be turned, while at 'anangle, so as to permit axial movement of the brush as it is swung downwardly. If the square socket doesnot mate exactly with thesquare shaft, it jams and will not slide on the shaft, and consequently, the brush cannot be swung down between the bear-,- ing supports. If the socket is slightly enlarged, itwill slide on the shaft more readily but that would permit play between the socket andfshaft when they are mat ed, which would cause undue wear and inefficientoperation. Ihe average op erator becomes annoyed if the-brush is not readily mounted and is apt to try to jam it in place, which tends to mutilate the drive shaft as well as the brush socket so that both" elements must be replaced. Normally, the cores of the worn brushes are rebristled, rather than discarded, so that additional expense is involved if th'sockets are mutilated. lhis system has not completely solved theproblem and eaves" much to be de rounded end of i ed "Having in mind the defects of the prior art apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide mountings for the cylindrical brushes used in fruit processing machines that may be readily disassembled and reassembled with new brushes replacing the worn or defective brushes. The arrangement should be such that the brushes, or other rotatable members, can be easily placed between the bearing supports and mounted by axial movements only, so that no force, unnatural or multiple movements are necessary. It is contemplated that the brush mountings should comprise a simplicity of operation and economy of design.

In order to overcome the hereinbefore noted defects of the prior art apparatus the present invention, briefly, comprises a cylindrical brush having a pair of stub members extending from each end which are adapted to cooperate with bearing members mounted on spaced rails on opposite sides of the machine, one of said bearing members being slidably mounted and releasably positioned. The brush core at one end is provided with a square extension which is adapted to be seated in a square socket fixed on the end of a stub drive shaft that is supported by a bearing member on one side of the machine. The other end of the brush core has a bore extending axially therein which is adapted to receive a stub shafthaving a radially extending flange which is fixed to the end of the brush core. The stub shaft extends a short distance beyond the flange and is adapted to be removably journaled within the inner race of a ball bearing which is carried by a block that is loosely mounted in a slideway and held in forward position by an adjustable latch. The adjustable latch comprises a bolt which is loosely positioned in axially alignment with the brush, the head of the bolt bearing against the slidable bearing block. The bolt is held in forward position by a threaded bar adapted to cooperate with a keeper in the form of an open slot in the slideway.

In operation, the stub shaft is seated in the bore in the one end of the core and the shaft flange affixed to the end of the core. The brush is then aligned with the sockets in the bearing members and moved axially to seat the square end in the square socket on the drive shaft, after which the slidable bearing block is pushed forward in the slideway toward the brush as far as it will go to journal the stub shaft in the inner race of the ball bearing and thereby hold the square ends tightly within its socket. The latch bolt is then shoved forward and the bar carrier thereby pivoted into its cooperating slot in the slideway to prevent its retraction. If the bolt is not adjusted to the proper length it may be readily threaded through the latching bar in the proper direction so that its head will bear against the sliding block and hold it snugly against the adjoining end of the brush, the inner ball race extending axially beyond the face of the block to bear against the flange carried by the cooperating stub shaft to prevent rubbing between the flange and the block. Thus, it will be seen, the brush may easily be mounted by aligning it with its bearing sockets and moving it and the slidable bearing block axially, no twisting or pivoting of the brush out of its axis being necessary to seat it in its bearings.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with atlditional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout, and in which Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a machine comprisin a conveyor bed composed of rotatable elements such as cylindrical brushes.

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 33 of Figs 4 and 5.

Fig. 4 is an end View in elevation of the drive end of the rotatable elements with the supporting bearing members and drive system.

Fig. 5 is an end view in elevation of opposite ends of the rotatable elements with the slidable supporting bearing members.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 66 of Fig. 3, and v Fig. '7 is a view in perspective of a slidable bearing member.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a vegetable or fruit processing machine of the transverse roller type is shown in Fig. 1 as comprising a conveyor bed formed of a plurality of parallel rollers I mounted transversely within a body 2 which is provided at each end respectively, with receiving and delivery chutes 3 and 4. In the present instance the rollers I are shown as havin alternately large and small diameters. The rollers I may be rotated by a driving mechanism motivated by a motor 5. This machine is adapted to be inserted in a line of processing machines with the receiving chute 3 positioned to receive the fruit from the machine immediately in front of it and the delivery chute 4 being arranged to roll the fruit onto the bed of the next machine. As hereinbefore stated, the rollers l may be of any desired type but in the present instance the invention is primarily concerned with rollers in the form of cylindrical brushes as better illustrated in Fig. 2.

With reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the body 2 is supported by a framework including a pair of longitudinally positioned I-beams l0 and it) which are supported by cross shafts H that in turn are supported by pivotal engagement with the heads l2 of the legs l3. As best shown in Fig. 3 the I-beams l9 and Ill support a pair of bearing members or blocks and 16 in which the brushes 1 are journaled. The bearing block H3 is recessed in its under side to form bearin surfaces IT to rest on the top cross piece l8 of its supporting I-beam l0. A lug is is clamped by a bolt 28 against the under surface of the cross piece 18 to hold the bearing block l5 in position on the rail or beam Ill. The block [5 is provided with a sleeve bearing adapted to receive a stub shaft 26 that has a sprocket 21 pinned to its outer end and a cup-shaped socket 28 formed on its inner end. The inner end of the shaft 26, adjacent to socket 28, has a reduced portion 29 to receive a collar 30 to space the socket 28 from the block I5.

The sprocket 21 meshes with a chain that is driven by the motor 5, the sprocket 2! being positioned above the upper run of the chain 35 which is held in contact with the sprocket teeth by a bearing block 36 fixed by screws 3! to an extension 38 of the block H3. The lower run of the chain 35 rides on a non-abrasive member 39. in a slideway 411 which is mounted on a bracket 4i supported by a bolt 42 extending through a pair of opposed clamps 43 secured to the lower cross piece it of the L-bearn It. The bearing block i5 is positioned longitudinally of the I-beam it by a fixed spacing rod 59 that is seated in a slot 5! in the outer face of the block it. The rod 5? is threaded and a pair of nuts 52 are threaded thereon against the lateral faces of the bearing block to prevent longitudinal movement thereof.

The sprockets 2? being driven by the chain it naturally follows that the shaft 26 will be driven and, in order to drive the brush I, the socket 253 must have a non-circular conformation. In Fig. 6 the socket 26 is shown as being square in the present instance and is adapted to receive the-square end of the brush core 56. As the coretrfi is usually formed of wood, a square band Ellis preferably seated around the square extension 55 to prevent undue wear or deformation thereof. The square extension 55 with its protective band .5? is readily insertable and removable from the socket 28 by an axial movement of the brush I. It will be understood that the extension 55 and the socket 28 may have any desired conformation that will afford a driving connection.

.The bearing block it, which is also shown in Figs. 5 and '7, comprises a solid block 65 which is loosely mounted in a slideway 61 that is boxlike in structure and consists of a bed plate 62, side plates v63, end plate t5, and an upright 65 eX- tending from the end plate 64. The bed plate E2'has a pair of formed over lugs 65 along its inner edge to hook over the upper cross plate L8 of its supporting I-beam It. A spacing lug 8.7 is fixed to the outer edge of the bed plate 62 to bear against the outer portion of a clamping lug G'B'adapted to be clamped against the under surface of the I-beam cross plate !8' by a bolt 83 extending down through the bed plate E2 and threading into an aperture it in said lug 68.

' The bearing block it is provided with a recess 75 for receiving the outer race it of an antifrictionbearing W, a lubricant cavity is being located behind the bearing recess ?5 and having an'oil hole l d extending to the top of the block fiilj 'lhe inner' race 88 of the bearing Tl forms a shaft journalling socket to removably receive the free end 8! of a stub shaft 82 that is seated in a bore 83 extending axially into the adjacent end of the brush core 55. The shaft 82 has a radially extending flange 8d fixed thereto which is adapted to bear against the end face of the core 55 and is preferably attached thereto as by screws 85. It will be noted that the inner race 8% of the bearing l7 extends laterally beyond the outer race i5 and the face of the bearing block 69 with its edge bearing against the radial shaft plate 8ft to space the plate from the bearing block 5 "j'An adjustable and releasable latch means is provided to hold the block 69 in a forward brush j'ournalling position. The latch means comprises the retainer 915, due to vibration or the like.

1 tainties.

The upright plate E5 has a circular notch [B ll in its lateral edge to receive a threaded spacing rod It! on which are mounted a pair of nuts I92 to be threaded on the rod l9! against the opposite sides of the plate 65 and thereby hold theblock it against movement longitudinally of the I-beam l0.

The operation of the hereinbefore described mechanism should be obvious but the sequence ofsteps will be set forth to clarify any uncerthe conveyor bed it rolls over the brushes and momentarily lodges between the rollers in the grooves formed by their converging surfaces. During this time the brushes or rollers scrub, buff, polish or perform on'the fruit or vegetables whatever action is the function of. the machine in which they are mounted. This action causes considerable wear of the brush bristles so that from time to time the brush mountings have to be moved closer together, or when new brTushes are inserted they have to be spaced apart. To accomplish the movement of the brush mountings in the present instance, it is merely necessary to loosen the clamping bolts 25 and 69 and to thread the spacing nuts 52 and I552 along their respective spacing rods 55 and It! to thereby properly position the respective spacing blocks l5 and it on their supporting beams or rails It and Ii). When the proper spacing has been accomplished through the medium of 'the rods 53 and 561, the bearing blocks l5 and It may then be secured by the clamping members [9 and '68 by tightening the bolts 20 and 653.

When excessive wear or deformation of the brush requires its replacement, it may bereadily efiected by swinging the bar 95 upwardly out of the notch 95, as indicated in broken lines in Fig.7, and'v/ith'drawing the bolt 93 through the aperture 92 in the cross member as of the slid'eway 6|. The bearing block 6t may then be retracted in-the slideway thremovi'ng the inner race 86 from the extension 3| of the stub shaft 82 seated in the core 56 of the brush I. The brush I may then be moved axially to remove'the square extension 55 with its band 51' from the socket 28 on the end. of the drive shaft '55. If the replacement brush hasnot already been fitted with a stub shaft 82,then the screws are with drawn from the brush just removed from the'nfa chine and the shaft 82 with its flange 84 fitted to the new brush and the screws 85 driven into its core. The brush is then aligned axially be tween the bearing members [5 and [6 and the square end 5 5, with its band 51 of the new" brush 26 by moving the brush axially. The bearing block 60 on the other side of the machine may then be slid forwardly, or axially, until the inner race 88 journals the free shaft end 8| with its outer edge bearing against the radial plate 85. The bolt 90 is then moved forwardly through'the aperture 92 of the cross piece 64 and the bar 95 swung down into the notch or keeper 96. If there is a slight variation in the dimensions of the new brush and the block 60 is differently positioned and the bolt does not fit tightly or,

is then slid into the socket 2's of the drive shaft To begin with, as fruit is passed over i conversely, is prevented from moving forward sufl'iciently to latch the bar 95 in the notch 96, then the bolt 90 may be threaded through the retainer 94 and the lock nut 91 in the proper direction until the bolt head 93 is seated snugly against the back of the bearing block so and its lock bar 95 may be seated in the notch 96. It will be noted that the bearing block to is movable in the slideway 6! a distance sufiicient to accommodate the axial movement of the square end 55 relative to the socket 28 and also the axial movement of the race Bil relative to the shaft end 8!. This movement of the block 6!) permits the placement of the brush axially between its bearing supports and mounted solely by axial movement, no tilting or twisting being necessary.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is quite obvious that many modifications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

That which is claimed as new is:

l. A brushing machine comprising a pair of bearing members mounted on spaced supports, a shaft supported in one of said bearing members having a non-circular socket at its inner end,

means at its outer end for driving said shaft,

the other of said bearing members being movable axially in a slideway and supporting a hearing which forms a shaft journalling socket, a cylindrical brush including a core having a non-circular extension at one end to conform to and be seated in said non-circular socket and a stub shaft at the other end having an extension which is adapted to be seated in said shaft journaling socket, and a latch for securing the slidable bearing member in adjusted position in the slideway for holding the core extensions in their respective sockets.

2. In an apparatus of the character described,

' a supporting frame, a stationary bearing block mounted in the frame, a driven stub shaft journaled in the stationary bearing block and having an axial socket of non-circular cross-section in one end, a slideway mounted in the frame in spaced relation to the stationary bearing block, a slidable bearing block mounted in the slideway for movement in a direction co-axial to the stub shaft journaled in the stationary bearing block, the slidable bearing block having an axial bearing socket facing the socket of the said stub shaft, a rotatable work element including a core with a non-circular extension on one end adapted to fit by axial sliding movement in the socket on the said stub shaft, a second stub shaft projecting from the end of the work member core opposite to the non-circular extension for axial sliding engagement with the bearing socket in the sliding bearing block, the slideway being of a construction to permit axial sliding movement of the sliding bearing block to a degree more than equal to the combined axial depths of the two sockets, and a latch for securing the slidable bearing block in its journaling position at minimum spacing from the stationary bearing block.

3. In a device cf the class described, a slideway, a bearing block mounted in the slideway for rectilinear sliding movement, the slideway having an aperture in line with the direction of movement of the bearing block and facing the latter, a latch-bolt loosely fitting the said aperture with its head adapted to bear against the bearing block, a retaining member threaded on the latchbolt outside the slideway for contact with its wall and having a radial arm, a lock nut mounted on the latch-bolt for engagement with the retaining member, and an extension provided on the slideway adjacent to the aperture and having an upwardly opening notch disposed radially with respect to the aperture and adapted to receive and support the arm of the retaining member.

4. A journal mountingfor one end of a roller or the like having a journal shaft protruding therefrom, said mounting comprising a slideway having a bottom wall and spaced side walls, a block having a bearing socket adapted to removably and rotatably receive said shaft, said block being slidable in said slideway to move said socket into and out of journalling engagement with the journal shaft of the roller, and means, including a locking device carried on the slideway and releasably engageable with said block, operable to lock said block on said slideway in a position maintaining the bearing socket in journalling engagement with said journal shaft and operable to release said block for movement on the slideway removing said socket from said shaft.

5. A journal mounting for one end of a roller or the like having a journal shaft protruding therefrom, said mounting comprising a slideway having a bottom wall, spaced side Walls and a rear wall, a block having a bearing socket adapted to removably and rotatably receive said shaft, said block being slidable in said slideway to move said socket into and out of journalling engagement with the journal shaft, an abutment mem ber mounted on the rear wall of the slideway and movable thereon into and out of abutment against the rear of said block, and means associated with said abutment member operable to releasably lock said member in position abutting against said block when in a position in said slideway maintaining said socket in journalling engagement with said journal shaft and operable to free said block for rearward movement in said slideway and out of journalling engagement with said shaft.

GEORGE M. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS 

